Run This Town
by Inferna Firesword
Summary: It doesn't matter how many come; we'll prevail, same as we always have. The Brotherhood can throw all they want at us . . . we'll still be around. We can never be defeated. Songfic; ties into Heroes and Halflings; rated for action.


This came to me when I was chatting with Kini on AIM a while ago, back when I was on vacation in Hawaii over winter break. I had been planning something to add to the backstory of the Toa Rohaya for a while, but it never came together until we mentioned "Run This Town" by Jay-Z.

**Disclaimer:** Song belongs to Jay-Z (plus Rihanna and Kanye West; I had to cut out Mr. West's verses simply because it would stretch out the story waaay too long), and the story/characters belong to me. Bionicle belongs to Lego, naturally. Toa Sirein was originally Toa Siren, revamped for the overhaul of H&H. This contains some spoilers for that revamp, just so you know. There are also references to a certain famous band and Star Wars, if you can find them.

Run This Town

_Feel it comin' in the air_

_Hear the screams from everywhere_

_I'm addicted to the thrill_

_It's a dangerous love affair_

The Lightning Toa peered over the edge of the treetop platform, covering her heartlight with one hand to hide the tell-tale glow. She couldn't see the forest floor through the pine branches, but she didn't need her sight to hear the crashing of Rahkshi blundering through the trees. She was glad that Matsu wasn't too terribly fond of the plants on this part of Rohaya, since there was a pretty good chance a few trees would crash down before the invasion ended.

Carefully, she lowered her sword through a slot in the wood, calling on her electricity to charge up the tip with an orb of energy. Once released, it would fry the kraata like eggs.

Other Toa would take pause as that thought impacted them, wondering if the Toa Code had something covering Makuta spawn. Alvis was not one of those Toa.

The lightning flew from her sword and zipped through the branches, singing needles and wood as it hurtled down, eager to please her by ripping through armor and mechanics. Screeches from below gratified her expectations, nearly drowning out the sound of cooking kraata.

Once the screams had ceased, Alvis moved to the center of the platform and scrambled down the pine branches like it was a natural ladder. On the ground, a dozen Rahkshi were prone upon the grass, smoke curling lazily up from their heads.

The Lightning Toa looked at them grimly as she jumped the last two bio down onto the ground. She had just killed these creatures, but she felt nothing. This is war, after all, and she could not afford to let the Toa Code impair her judgment. No matter what it said about not killing enemies, she had to defend her home.

_Can't be scared when it goes down_

_Got a problem_

_Tell me now_

A sudden _snap_ caught her ear, and she spun around in time to see a group of five more Rahkshi surrounding her position, staffs pointed directly at her. No time to dart back up the tree and take aim there – the way to any of the pines was blocked by the reptilian creatures, and anyway their powers would fry her before she got anywhere close to grasping the first branch.

A flash caught her eye – from just past another few trees – and blurred straight for her position. She reacted instinctively: she leapt into the air as the blast hurtled into the clearing where charred armor still smoked in the grass, and fired her own electricity to join what was coming.

Down they went, the five Rahkshi that had surprised her getting baked before they could kill her.

_Only thing that's on my mind_

_Is who gon' run this town tonight_

Alvis flipped over and landed in a crouching position on her feet, facing the place the aiding blast had come from. "Nice to know I can rely on you, Star."

Stara stepped out from behind the tree, green eyes gleaming. "We got 'em all?"

"That's the lot that was over in my region. You?"

The Southern Lightning Toa smiled her strange half-grin. "Do you even have to ask?"

"Guess not."

_We gon' run this town!_

"_Glad to know you two are still intact, but there's more trouble ahead,"_ called a voice from within their heads. In their mind's eye, the face of a gold and blue Toa appeared, wearing a Mask of Clairvoyance and a grim expression.

"What is it, Sirien?" Stara asked out loud. The Toa of Psionics was able to hear their thoughts through the mind-link she had just established, but it was easier on both Lightning Toa to voice them instead of just thinking them.

"_A new squad is approaching the western beachhead. There's nothing left in your area, and you're the closest to it."_

"We're on it," Alvis replied. "How are the others doing?"

"_Kronus and Ares' groups are handling it pretty well. Paytah and Egan are somewhere on the Krycai, but I haven't checked in on them yet. Eos and Amaya are alright."_

"Enough talk," Stara ordered. "Let's move out." Obligingly, Sirein pulled back from their minds and left them to their own devices.

After checking their weapons, the Lightning Toa clasped hands, and a look of concentration appeared on their faces as they seemed to focus on something.

Then there was a flash, and they were gone.

_We are_

_Yeah I said it_

_We are_

_This is Roc Nation_

_Pledge your allegiance_

As the Toa of Psionics withdrew from the minds of the Toa of Lightning, she was quietly musing. They had all known this day would come at some point – sooner or later, those they fought against would figure out who had been intercepting their warships and stealing their supplies from them. In this case, the Brotherhood had finally figured out where these sea raiders were based, and had taken steps to put them out of business. She was just glad they hadn't figured out their connection to Shi-Nui, otherwise that trading port would be next to be attacked.

Sirein opened her eyes, replacing the landscape of minds for the one that her eyes presented to her. Unlike the majority of the Toa Rohaya, she and her group were based in their bastion of a home base, keeping a group fresh and ready for fighting in case worst came to worst.

It was funny, really. She didn't have the authority that their leader, Kronus, had over the team, or what his deputies Eos and Ares had. Yet when battles and raids happened, she was one of their most valuable members, since she could help coordinate their efforts better than all the rest by sensing enemy minds.

After checking the other members of the group, she let her mind go again, seeking other trouble spots.

She found them quickly, and addressed one of her group. "Hesprides."

The mutated Toa was beside her in a literal flash. An incident that had involved both females, four other members of the Toa Rohaya, and a female Makuta on Destral with a nasty sense of humor had left the former Water Toa lacking both her elemental power and her blue armor, turning it black, her eyes red, and leaving her with the Rahkshi power of Teleportation instead of command over the seas. During battle, she rarely spoke, but when danger did not threaten, she was as lively as a Muaka kitten.

_Get your fatigues on_

_All black everything_

_Black cards_

_Black cars_

_All black everything_

_And our girls are blackbirds_

_Riding with their dillingers_

_I get more in depth_

_If you boys really real enough_

Sirein addressed her with her unflappable manner. "Bring Cargan to Octipi Grotto; Eos and Amaya require him there. Then return and bring Matsu to the southern forest."

The black Toa nodded assent, silent as ever behind her Calix, and strode over to the Toa of Stone, who was loitering next to Demetrius, Althea, Catronia, and Matsu. Gripping his shoulder, she bent to whisper a few words, than they vanished.

_This is La Familia_

_I'll explain later_

_But for now _

_Let me get back to this paper_

_I'ma couple bands down_

_And I'm tryin' get back_

_I gave Doug a grip and lost a flip_

_For five stacks_

Sirein nodded in satisfaction, as she sensed more minds appear on her mental map of the island. This looked bad, but she had the advantage of wearing a Mask of Clairvoyance. While it gave her a royal headache to have it on all the time, it did have its advantages. In this case, it had given them enough warning to be prepared when the Brotherhood had sent its troops out on them. And though it hadn't told her this, she was confident that they were going to win, as they always had.

_Me I'm talkin' five commas_

_Six zeros_

_Dot zeros_

_Back to running circles round_

_Now we squared up_

_Hold up_

They were the Toa Rohaya, after all. What could possibly defeat them?

_Life's a game but it's not fair_

_I break the rules so I don't care _

Higher up the island – literally higher up – two crimson figures scrambled up the crags and ledges that made up the island's volcano, which was thankfully silent at the moment. If the Krycai chose to spit out lava while the two Toa were up there, they might survive, but their armor and tools wouldn't be as fortunate.

_Although,_ Toa Egan mused, glancing down at the group of Rahkshi that were chasing them, taking every few seconds to fire a blast of shattering energy at them, _it might be enough to roast these things._

_So I keep doing my own thing_

_Walking tall against the rain_

Using his Pehkui, he shrank down to the smallest he could go, if only to give the Rahkshi a smaller target. Paytah, he wasn't too worried about. With his Kakama, he was zigzagging his way up the slope, eliciting frustrated hisses from the brown reptile-suits as they fired repeatedly and continued to miss every time.

On his next sweep to the side, the fully-sized Toa of Fire scooped up his diminutive brother, cupping him protectively between his hands as they continued to race up the incline, heading for the peak.

"Hey, bro," he yelled over the rushing air, "What's the difference between a squad of rampaging Panrahk and a mess of metal?"

"Is this really the best time for one of your bad jokes?" demanded Egan, his voice somehow still sounding the same despite the fact his vocal cords had shrunk, along with the rest of his body.

"Humor me."

The other Fire Toa sighed. "I don't know."

Paytah abruptly stopped in his tracks, just before a giant boulder that was perched precariously on a ledge. Even through his fingers, the inch-high Toa could see his brother's classic wise-guy grin appear on his face as he delivered the punch line – which, in all respect, wouldn't be as funny outside of battle as it seemed at the moment.

"A landslide."

With that not-so-funny joke wrapped up, the Kakama-bearing Toa wheeled and started yelling down at the aggravated Rahkshi. "You guys are lame-o shots! Want me? Hit me!" he taunted, leaning against the ledge, digging in the heels of his boots so he wouldn't slip on accident.

_Victory's within the mile_

_Almost there _

_Don't give up now_

The irate creatures reacted exactly how the Fire Toa expected them to: firing a ton of blasts from their staffs, heading directly at their stationary target. At the last second, Paytah darted to the side at superspeed, Egan clinging to his fingers so the supersmall Toa wouldn't slip out of his grip.

The bolts slammed into the outcropping, obliterating it in an explosion that – unfortunately for the reptile-creatures – made the boulder start rolling down towards them, picking up speed and more rocks as it tumbled down towards them. Paytah gave the rockslide unneeded help by using blasts of fire to trigger more on other rocks and crags, making it join the rolling stones.

With panicked hisses, the entire squadron was swept up into the destruction, tumbling down the mountain and into the forest below.

_Only thing that's on my mind_

_Is who gon' run this town_

_Tonight_

Paytah, smug with satisfaction, opened his hand and released his brother, who jumped down to the ground and returned to his full size to better survey the scene of their carnage. "Still think my jokes are bad, bro?"

"Yes," Egan said dryly. "Though they do have their uses."

_Who gon' run this town tonight?_

_We are_

_Yeah I said it _

_We are_

_You can call me Caesar_

_In a dark caesar_

"Remember the old days, Eos?" Amaya called through the bubbles her mouth was extruding, through the use of the Kaukau covering her normal Faxon. "Back when the only things we had to worry about were trigger-happy ship guards when we raided?"

"Yeah, what about them?" the other Water Toa asked.

Amaya sighed, looking from side to side at the four modified Rahkshi of Rahi Control that circled around them on the surface. "Gotta love them now, huh?"

While the situation wasn't ideal, Eos wasn't ready to give up. While she and her companion were from an essentially peaceful tribe of Matoran, both were more willing to fight than their people stereotypically were. Eos, in particular, wasn't going to wait for the Mahi to come home to get aggressive; she was first on the field of battle and the last to leave, and in no way would she change this part of her nature.

_As a wise being once said, "If I can't find a way, I'll make one", _she thought.

_Please follow the leader_

_So Eric B are_

_Microphone fiend_

_This the return of the god_

_Peace god_

At the moment, the two Toa were trapped in a circular room, with only one exit and half-full with a mix of sea- and freshwater. Outside in the tunnel that was their only possible avenue of escape, a pair of eight-armed Rahi that gave these tunnels their name glared through the mess of sixteen appendages, blocking them with open arms.

_Well, this is basically a big basin,_the deputy leader of the Toa Rohaya thought to herself. _If we can whip up a strong enough whirlpool . . ._

"_Eos!" _called a voice in their heads. _"Do that. Hesprides is bringing Cargan to your location; once he arrives, he'll help finish the job."_

"Do _what?_" Amaya demanded to know. Sirein quickly lifted the idea from Eos' head and transferred it to the other Water Toa, who quickly agreed to the plan. The Toa of Psionics withdrew from their heads, leaving them with a final word: _"They're about a minute from joining you. Get going."_

Without further ado, both called upon their power to command currents, manufacturing a pair of opposing forces where none had been before. They slammed together, whipping four Rahkshi, two Toa, and the pair of unfortunate octopus Rahi into the maelstrom. Because of their power, Eos and Amaya were able to escape the vortex with ease and headed for the surface, leaving their six victims on the spin cycle.

_Ah, ah_

_It ain't nobody fresher_

_I'm in mason, ah_

_Martin, Margella_

_On the table screaming **** _

_The other side they jealous_

_We got a banquet full of broads_

_They got a table full of fellas_

On a ledge above the surface, the pair were joined by copper-armored Cargan and his teleporting companion, who was quick to take her leave once she had left him there. Seeing the whirlpool and its contents swirling in the basin chamber, the Toa of Stone didn't need an explanation on what his role was, if Sirien hadn't informed him of it already. A few jagged spikes of rock impaled the Rahkshi, releasing the dizzy Rahi from their control. As Eos and Amaya eased the maelstrom down to nonexistence, they squirted ink and jetted away, nearly missing the exit hole.

All three slammed their fists together, grinning broadly at their success. "Hope you've got a Kaukau, bro," Eos said bluntly. "We still have exits to cover."

_Yeah_

_And they ain't spending no cake_

_They should throw they hand in _

_Cos they ain't got no spades_

With a flash and a cloud of ozone, the Lightning Toa dropped whatever technique they had used to move at greater speed, stopping at the edge of the sheer cliff that made up most of the island's coastline. Only on the southern side of the island dipped down to join the sea; the rest formed a wall that blocked the spray of the waves.

Ascending that wall was a squad of more Rahkshi, staffs unformed as they made the climb. Unlike the slopes of the Krycai volcano, which were at a wider angle, these faces were an almost vertical climb, leaving them at the mercy of the Toa Rohaya of Lightning.

Alvis looked at her friend and grinned eagerly; Stara returned it as best she could. While they may have had their differences in the past, both had put them aside to become better teammates. And in the face of their shared favorite pastime – making Rahkshi sauté – they were quite happy they had.

_Yeah_

_My whole team got dough_

_So my banquet is looking like millionaires row_

_Yeah_

Both raised their weapons into the air, forming giant globes of lightning at their tips. Alvis supplied the words that came along with it as she looked at the creatures below. They had come from a book she had once read, and despite both thinking that the line was kinda lame, they had adopted it as something they said when they were planning to fry something.

"You have failed us for the last time!" she cried in her deepest, faux-intimidating voice. That was what the book's character was supposed to sound like when he had said them, and despite her shortcomings, she did a pretty good job of it.

The line finished, she and Stara made their globes raise into the air and slam together, discharging twice the amount of electricity as they could've made alone. Bolts shot down and rained upon the Rahkshi, slamming into their headplates and cooking the snakes inside it.

_Life's a game_

_But it's not fair_

_I break the rules _

_So I don't care_

_So I keep doing my own thing_

_Walking tall against the rain_

_Victory's within the mile_

_Almost there_

_Don't give up now_

Welcome relief for Ares' tired group of three – Toa of Ice Crevan, Toa of Sonics Baird, and the Toa of Magnetism himself – came in a flash of black armor and red, gleaming eyes. Hesprides – probably working on her own like she usually did – appeared in their midst silently, like she did whenever she teleported, and promptly began her work. With aid from her Calix, she managed to disarm and de-kraata three Rahkshi before their forces could adjust to the presence of another enemy, but the morale of the unit of Toa rose as another of their siblings joined their sides.

It rose even more as the trees around them began to move on their own, reaching out branches to shatter Rahkshi armor in their constricting grasp and turning kraata to jelly, under the clever fingers of their brother Matsu.

_Only thing that's on my mind_

_Crash!_ went two more Exo-Toa as they were slammed together by the wills of Iron Toa Atlas, one under his command of metal, the other sent flying towards its fellow by the raw power that rested in his limbs.

Atlas wished that this was the last thing they had to do before they could rest, but it was not to be – he, Kronus, Calhoun, and Washi had been up against a seemingly-endless wave of Exo-Toa and chittering Visorak for hours now, and they had been hard-pressed to make sure none of their enemies had made it past their line in the sand. If any of them had managed to slip by, their position on the beachhead that was the main gate to the crumbling stone skyscraper they called Dragon's Watchtower would rapidly be overrun.

Grimly, the quartet fell back into a line when they got a chance, standing behind the stripe ripped into the earth by Kronus' boot heel before the fight had been joined. As the next surge charged at them, blasts zipping by them and tearing into the dirt and stone, they dodged the spinners and continued on.

Then the ground shook, as their brother of Earth joined the fight, brought by their black-armored sister.

_Is who gon' run this town tonight_

Farther back, in the fortress that was their home and final retreat post, Sirien's eyes glowed, sensing the waves dying down. They had whittled down the enemy troops; they now just needed to route them completely, before Rohaya could be theirs again. Ares was fine, along with the groups Eos, Stara, and Egan were part of. With her mind, she called to them, ordering them to join Kronus' small, stalwart group of fighters in the Mountains of Teeth.

And they would join them. The Toa of Psionics glanced over her shoulders to meet the eyes of Althea and Catriona, and they nodded. With a summons, Hesprides came for them, and took them deep into the battlefield.

_Who gon' run this town tonight?_

Before they went to join their leaders, Alvis and Stara looked out onto the silver sea, wrapped in the fog that eternally blanketed Rohaya. Their struggle here was near an end, but the war outside the grey curtain was far from over. Their fight would be harder now, with the Brotherhood now knowing where they were striking from. Seizing warships would be more difficult than ever.

And they would prevail, the same as they always had.

The two Toa of Lightning reached out, clasped hands. And with that, they vanished to reengage themselves, with one certainty filling their mind. By tonight, Rohaya would be theirs again.

_We gon' run this town tonight!_

**XxX**

*whew* Ten pages and starting onto an eleventh. This was a long short story. =P

C&C very much welcome!

-Inferna


End file.
